Blacking machine



Sept. 2, 1930. G. BoULToN BLACKING MACHINE Filed Dec. 8, 1927 Figi. 486864 l I l l I l I I l Il Patented Sept. l2, 1930 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE GEORGE BOULTON, 'OF ROCHESTER, NEW: YORK, ASSIGNOB TO UNITED SHOE MA- CHINERY CORPORATION, OF PATEBSON, NEW JERSEY, A CORPORATION OF NEW JERSEY IBLAOXING MACHINE v Application led December 8; ,1927, Serial No. 288,856.

This invention relates to machines for a dle both-the shoe part and au ink applyingl brush, the ink is bound to be smeared where it is not wanted and the whole operation is troublesome bot-h tothe manufacturer and the operator. v

An objectof the presentinvention is to provide a machine b which liquid may be applied to the edges o sheet material rapidly, accuratel and uniformly and with a greater degree o cleanliness than heretofore. The invention further contemplates the provision of a machine adapted for handling -all the different shoe-upper parts which may be encountered -in various styles of-shoes, such as open,V and closed Vamps and j-parts having edges of all shapes, including sharpcurves or corners, and also the interior edges of cutouts or perforations 'formed in the body of a shoe upper. Y

An important feature of the invention consists in a novel ink applying tool, larly ada ted for inlngxthe edges o a wide variety o shoe parts. s herein shown, the tool hasy anelongated body portion with a roughened ink a plying surface vertically disposed and witli provision for su plyilg4 a continuousilow of ink upon its sur? t has been Yfound that work having its edge presented to, or fed in contact with, a tool of this character will exhibit the improved through the'interior of the tool and delivers it to lts surface, where it is distributedl by gravity iiow. The tool maybe run in continuous communication with-the reservoir,

when exterior edgesare being treated, or it may be lifted from the reservoir and run out ings withvlittle delay in operation l tated.

of communication therewith in applying its charge of ink to interior edges of cut-out pprtlons in those cases where the tool must passed through the vshoe part. l

I believe that a tool ada ted for Operation in this manner has never efore been available. Accordingly, another important feature of my invention consists broadly in a self-contained ink applying tool land pump organized to take up a charge of liquid and then inv its independent operation to circulate the contained charge in a continuous flow over the surface of the tool. f For handling closed uppers, it is desirable to have a cylindrical work support about-all sides of which the upper canbe passed. With this consideration in View,ano ther feature of the invention .consists in an elongated ink reservoir arranged to extend from the frame free and-clear of all obstructions, so that a closed shoe part may be passed about all sides of the reservoir. As a further feature and in order that the machine may be adapte to handle an assortment of stains and blackf-the elongated ink vreservoir is shaped to t., in pre)- etermined position, in a socket in the frame and to be detachably secured therein, ,so that it may be quickly and easily removed for cleaning and refilling or for substitution, when desired.-

The operation of the machine and the acl curate and rapid presentation of work to the inking tool are greatly facilitated by means of an im uroved ga'u e by means of which curling o the edge o? the work is prevented and accurate gauging is, accordingly, facili- To this end and in accordance with still another feature of the'invention, the illustrated machineis provided with a gauge having oppgr'ed portions which are adjustable tpvward and from each other and are arranged t'engage rather closely opposite sides of the work thereby to prevent curling of the edge. As illustrated, the lower portion of the gauge acts as a work supporting memberI and is provided with an upward projection, the lateral surface of'which serves as a gauge surface for contact with the edge of the work.

- by a clamping bolt 22.

A resilient upper member secured to the lower member is adjustable toward and away from the lower member by means of a screw acting in opposition to a spring and is provided with an opening or recess to receive the gauge projection on the lower member.

These and other features of the invention will be best understood and appreciated from the following description of a preferred embodiment thereof, selected for purposes of illustration and shown in the accompanying drawings in which Fig. 1 is a view of the machine in side elevation, showing a portion of the bench in section;

F ig. 2 is a plan View of the front portion of the machine;

Fig. 3 is a view in perspective of the end of the reservoir with its associated gauge;

Fig. 4 is a View in elevation, on an enlarged scale, of the ink applying tool and its associated parts; and

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through the tool and the end of the ink reservoir.

The machine comprises a frame 12, from the rear side of which projects a shaft carrying an assembly of grooved pulleys 14, by which the machine is driven and from which its elements are operated, as will presently appear. The frame has a forwardly extending boss 16, provided with a socket for the reception of the elongated tubular ink reservoir 18, which serves also as a work support. This comprises a hollow, cylindrical member, having a collar 20 with a pin, by which its longitudinal and angular position is determined with respect to the socket and the reservoir 18 is detachably secured in said socket *heeft to its rear end, the reservoir is prc lith a short upstanding pipe 24 for filling purposes, and at its outer end it carries an idle work-sup porting feed roll 26. A work gauge 27 to be later described is adj ustably secured to the reservoir by a collar 28 and in the outer end of the reservoir is provided a restricted circular opening 29 (F ig. 3) in its upper surface through which an upright ink ap lying tool 30 passes in dipping into the in contained in the reservoir, said tool nearly filling the opening. n

The ink applying tool 30 has an elongated, hollow, rigid cylindrical body, terminating in a projectionl 32 of reduced diameter, having a tapering end. The body of the ink applying tool 30 has a lateral applying surface which extends vertically parallel to the axis of rotation and is provided with longitudinal grooves or fiutes, alternating with ribs or lands. All of the flutes terminate at their upperl ends in a circumferential groove 34 opening into which are a number of outlet ports 36 (Figs. 4 and 5). A spiral groove 37 is formed in the ribs of the body of the tool and a number of inlet ports 38 are located near the lower end of the body. Inlet ports 39, connected by a spiral slot, arev also provided in the lower projecting portion 32 of the tool.

Within the body of the tool 30 is located a screw conveyor 40, the thread of which fills the bore of the tool, leaving a space for liquid between the interior wall of the tool and the shank or shaft of the conveyor.

It has at its lower end a portion 42 of reduced diameter which constitutes also a screw conveyor of small diameter and pitch and is loczlited within the projecting end 32 of the too In operation, the conveyor is driven in a counter clockwise direction and the tool 30 in a clockwise direction, when viewed from above as indicated in Fig. 2. When the lower end of the tool is immersed in the ink in the reservoir 18, the ink flows in through the inlet ports 38 and 39 to the interior of the tool. It is then elevated or pumped up the passage in the tool by the screw conveyor and flows out through the outlet ports 36 to the groove 34, whence it flows `by gravity down the roughened vertical applying surface of the tool, being distributed and retarded to some extent on its surface by the flutes and spiral groove thereon so that it may be dispensed to the edge of the work presented to it. In Fig. 4, a piece of work 100 is indicated as presented against the tool.

The screw conveyor 40 is formed on the lower end of a vertical shaft 44, journaled in a hollow concentric shaft having a socket in its lower end for the reception of the tubular shank 31 of the tool 30. The hollow shaft 50 is journalcd in vertical bearings formed in two branches of the front portion of the machine frame 12 and has pinned on its upper end a driving pulley 52 ofrelatively large diameter, by which the shaft is driven through a round belt 54 running over one of the grooved pulleys in the assembly 14.

The shaft 44 of the screw conveyor has pinned to it a pulley 46, disposed just above the pulley 52, and is driven by this through the crossed belt 47 in the opposite direction from the hollow shaft 50 and at a higher rate of speed. The shaft 44 is extended above its pulley 46 throu h a bracket 60, bolted to the top of the frame 12, and is provided at its upper end with a collar 48. The collar rests on a forked lever 62, pivotally mounted in ears of the bracket and adjustably controlled in its position by an adjusting screw 64 threaded into the bracket. The adjusting screw 64, therefore, affords means for controlling the longitudinal relation of the screw conveyor 40 to the tool 30 and also with respect to the ink level in the reservoir while the interengagement of the pulley 46, set in position on the conveyor shaft 44 after the adjustment provided by the lever 62, with the hub of the pulley 52 maintains this relation regardless of the vertical position of the tool.

The hollow shaft 50 carries .acollar 51l lation of the tool and conveyor and withoutv interrupting the driving connections to either the tool or the screw conveyori the belts 47 and 54 being led over idlers which permit the required displacement of the driven ulleys 46 and 52.

The rame l2 has two outwardly extending arms in which is slidingly mounted a vertical tube 70, carrying a shaft 72 having a bevel gear 74 at its lower end. The-bevel gear 74 meshes with another bevel gear 76 on the end of a short horizontal shaft, which carries at its inner end the upper driven feed roll 78 which cooperates with the idle feed roll 26 on the end of the ink reservoir 18. At its upper end,the shaft 72 .carries a pinion 79 which is driven through an idle pinion 8() by a pinion 82 on the hollow shaft 50, located just below the pulley k52 which drives the latter. The tube 70 carries an inwardly projecting arm 84 which rests `of the ink applylng tool'. The scraper may f be adjusted to remove .surplus liquid from the tool and has a pointed lower end so .shapedas to direct such surplus liquid back to the lower portion of the tool and into the opening in the ink reservoir in spite of the I fact that the tool nearly fills the'opening.

An edge gauge, comprising a lower worksupporting member 90 (Fig. 3) has an up-v wardly extending projection 92 which passesv through an opening or recess in the upper member and the lateral surface of which acts as a gauge to contact with the edge of the work, frequently a iexible piece of thin leather such as is used for the upper of a shoe. This gauge is carried by and adjustably held by a set screw in the collar 28 which surrounds the -jink reservoir 18. In order that the edge of the work may be held firmlyin contact with the gauge projection 92, without danger of curling,'there is also provided .upon the gaugevan upper member 94 which overlies and engages the .upper margin of the Work as the lower sidegis supclear from tl'1e` foregoino may be summarized briey ported on the lower member 90. Since the upper member 94 is secured to the lower clined with 4respect to the lower member and lprovides a tapered opening especially useful for worlrwhich has been skived or beveled. The ends of the gauge members are shaped to conform to the contour of the tool 30 and the upper member may be vertically adjusted in accordance with the thickness of the work by an adjusting screw 96 acting in opposition to the spring 97. The outer vend of the upper member 94 is flared at 98 to facilitate insertion of the work.

The operation of the machine will be description but as follows: In treating exterior edges, the tool 30 occupies the position shown in Figs. 4 and 5 and the action of the screw conveyor serves to suck up ink and to spill it on the applying surface of the tool and to maintain a uniform flow of ink upon this surface, this flow being adjustably controlled in quantity by the lvertical adjustment of the screw conveyor and by the setting of the scraper 88. Work mayl be resented to the feed rolls `and guided to t e ink applying tool by the edge gauge. The effect of the spiral groove in the surface of the tool by its contact with the work is to cause the ink on its surface to be displaced upwardly, thus slowing its downward flow upon the tool surface and applyingit thoroughly and 4rubbing it into the edge of the work.

When. the interior edges of cut-outs are to be treated, the edge gauge is removed or slipped rearwardly on the ink reservoir. The tool having taken up a charge of ink from the reservoir is then elevated by the-v treadle so that its point' may be passed' through the cut-out portion and the work moved by hand to carr its edge across the surface of the tool. here it is` desired vto treat the ed es of narrow cut-outs or the corners thereo the reduced projecting endv 32 of the tool serves conveniently for applying the ink thereto, beingdesigned to enter spaces too narrow to receive the body of the tool.

In its operation out of communication with the reservoir, the charge of ink is circulated and recirculated over the surface of the tool until exhausted by being dispensed to the work. This recirculation of the ink charge takes place because the ink flowing down/ the surface of the tool is taken in through the inlet ports 38 and 39, elevated by the screwv conveyor 40 tothe outlet ports 36 and discharged to the upper portion of the ink applying surface of the tool. What little ink fails to enter the inlet ports is directed by the Y tapered oint of the projection 32 back to the center o the ink well. A

It will be apparent that the machine described herein and its various features are in no way limited to the handling of ink, but have general utility in the applying of any liquid to the edges of sheet material. It will be understood, therefore, that the terni ink is used herein in an illustrative and not a restrictive sense.

Having tlius described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. An ink applying tool having an elongated ribbed body the ribs of which have a spiral groove formed therein.

2. An ink applying tool having an elongated ribbed body with intermediate ink-distributing flutes and having a reduced end portion, an ink-distributing spiral groove formed in the ribs of the tool, and a circumferential ink supplying groove communicating with said flutes.

3. An ink applying tool having a body with longitudinal vertically disposed flutes, a circumferential groove connecting the ends of the flutes and an outlet port leading to the groove.

4. An ink applying tool comprising an elongated hollow body having inlet and outlet ports and a roughened lateral surface for holding ink, together with an enclosed screw conveyor constructed and arranged to force ink through the outlet ports for delivery to said lateral surface.

5. An ink applying tool comprising an elongated cylindrical body terminating in a projecting portion of reduced diameter, the

body of the tool being rougliened for holding.

ink and having a supply opening whereby ink may flow by gravity upon the surface of the body and of the reduced projection.

6. A machine of the class described, having 4in combination an elongated, rigid, upright ink applying tool, means for maintaining a continuous and uniform flow of ink over the lateral surface of the tool,-tlie surface of said tool being formed to retard the flow of ink thereover. l

7. A machine of the class described, having in combination a hollow rotary tool having a vertically disposed ink applying surface, and means for elevating ink through the tool and delivering a continuous supply of ink to the upper portion of the tool to be distributed over its surface by gravity flow.

8. A machine for applying ink to shoe parts having, in combination, a rotatable substantially cylindrical elongated hollovv7 tool having its peripheral surface disposed in upri ht relation in the machine, and means within said tool for collecting surplus/ink at the lower end of the tool .and delivering it to the periphery of the tool adjacent to its upper end.

9. A machine of the class described, having 4` in combination a hollow rotary ink applying tool, and means located within the tool for moving a. supply of ink to the lateral applying surface of the tool.

10. A machine of the class described having, in combination, an upright hollow rotatable ink applying tool with a lateral applying surface and having an inlet passage at its lower end and an outlet passage near its upper end, a screw conveyor located within the tool, and means for driving said screw conveyor to transfer ink from the lower passage to the upper passage, thereby to cause it to fiow through said outlet passage over the applying surface.

l1. A machine of the class described having, in combination, an ink reservoir, a lself contained ink applying tool and pump arranged to run with one end dipping into the reservoir, said tool having a lateral applying surface whereby a continuous How of ink is maintained from the reservoir down over the applying surface of the tool.

12. A machine of the class described having, in combination, an ink reservoir, aA hollow rotary ink applying tool movable into the reservoir to receive a supply of ink and upwardly into a position out of communication with the reservoir to dispense its charge of ink.

13. A machine of the class described, having in combination an ink reservoir, and a self contained ink applying tool and pump movableinto the reservoir to take a charge of ink and operating thereafter in a position removed from the reservoir to circulate the contained charge over the surface'of the tool.

14. A machine of the class described, having in combination a frame, an elongated ink reservoir detachably secured therein and having an opening at its outer'end, and a driven rotary ink applying tool mounted in the frame in alignment with the opening of the reseryoir and movable into and out of said opening.

15. A machine of the class described, having in combination a frame having a socket, an elongated tubular ink reservoir having a lateral opening near one end and shaped to fit in predetermined position in the socket and to be detachably secured therein, and extending from the frame free and clear of all obstructions, whereby a closed shoe part may be passed about all sides of the reservoir, and

an ink applying ytool movably supportedon the frame for movement into and out of said opening.

16. A machine of the class described, having in combination a Work support, an elongated ink applying tool having a vertical ink applying face associated therewith, means for delivering ink to the upperA portion of the tool to flow down over .the applying face of the tool, a work gauge, and driven feed mechanism for sheet material acting to feed the work in a horizontal plane with its edge against the vertical surface of thetool.

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ytently dipped therein.

17. A machine of the class described, hav in in lcombination a screw conveyor and an i applying tool concentrically arranged o ne within the other, means for driving both of said members independently, interengaging means for adjustingv and maintaining their lon 'tudinal relation, and means for raising bot the tool and the screw conveyor without disturbingtheir vertical relation.

18. A machine of the class described, having in combination an ink reservoir having a restricted opening, an elongated rigid tool rotatably mounted above and dipping in thereservoir and having a vertically disposed ink applying face, said tool nearly filling said opening, and a scraper located adjacent to the t0ol and tapered to return surplus ink by gravity to the opening of said reservoir.

19. A machine of the class described, having in combination a work support'having an ink well provided with an opening in its upper surface, an ink applying tool dipping in the well'through the vopening and extending verticallyabove the work support, and an adjustable edge gauge mounted on the work support adjacent to the ink applying tool.

20. A machine of the class described, hav- .ing in combination a frame, ink applying instrumentalities mounted for reciprocation thereon, and an elongated work support of relatively small cross section projecting from the frame free and clear of all obstructions, said work support containing an ink reservoir for supplying ink havin an opening near lts outerend to receive said ink apply'- ing instrumentalities as they are intermit- 21. A machine of the lclass described, hav-f ing in combination a rotary tool having a vertically disposed lateral ink applying surface and an interior passage with'a port opening through its lateral surface, and means for maintaining a iiow of ink through the passage, outwardly through said port and over the applying surface.- 1-

22. 'A machine for applying ink to shoe parts comprising'a reservoir, a tool having an elongated body portion dipping in the reservoir and a peripheral applying surface disposed in an upright position in the machine for thepresentation of work thereto, said 'toolbeing constructed and arranged to suck ink from said reservoir and to spill it upon an upper portion of said peripheralsurface to be distributed by gravity over the surfaceas the tool is appliedto a piece of work. V

23. 11A machine for applying ink to shoe 'parts having an applying tool with an elongated-hollow body portion having a roughen'ed peripheral applying surface disposed in an upright position in the machine, said tool `having an outletpassage nearr its upper end and provided with means upon its peripheral surface to Iretard the iiow of blacking down its applying surface, means for rotating lsaid tool as pieces of work are presented to its perlpheral surface, and means for elevating ink-through said tool to spill it from said paselongated substantiallycylindrical body portion adapted to be disposed in upright relation, means for rotating said tool on a vertical axis, the periphery of'said body portion bein provided with a spiral groove to conduct in over the peripheral surface thereof.

25. A machine for applyingink to shoe parts comprising an uprighttool having an elongated body portion adapted to have its periphery covered with ink for application to the worli, and means for collecting surplus ink near the lower end of the tool and delivering it to an upper portion ofthe tool so that it will again flow down over the peripheral surface thereof.V

f 26. A. machine for applying ink to shoe parts comprising an ink reservoir, a hollow applying tool movable into and out of said reservoir, and means associated with said tool constructed and arranged to fill said hollow vtool with ink while it is in the reservoir and the fixed portion, said portions being ar ranged to engage opposite sides of the work 'and one being inclined with respect to the other.

29. In a iiuid-applyingmachine, a Huidapplying member, a gauge associated with the member and having a fixed portion and a portion adjustablev toward and from the 'fixed portion, a spring forcing one portion toward Athe-other, and a screw threaded through one portion and contacting with the other.

30. In a fluid-applying machine, a iiuidapplying member, and a gauge having relatively movable portions arranged for contact -with opposite sides of the work, there being a projection upon one portion arranged for contact with the edge of saidwork.

31, In a Huid-applying machine, a iuid-1 applying member, and a gauge having relatively movable portions arranged for contact with opposite sides of the work, there being a projection upon one portion arranged for contact with the edge of said worktand an opening in the other portion to receive the projection.

32. In a Huid-applying machine, a fluidapplying member, and a gauge having relatively movable portions arranged for Contact with opposite sides of the work, there being a projection upon one portion arranged'for contact with the edge of said work and the said portions having work-engaging surfaces diverging from the projection.

33. In a Huid-applying machine, a member arranged for engagement with the work, a support for said member, a carrier adjustable upon the support toward and from` the w0rk engaging member, and a gauge having a portion ixed upon the carrier and a port-ion movable upon the carrier toward and from the fixed portion.

34. In a fluid-applying machine, a Huidapplying member, and a gauge having a work supporting portion provided with an upwardly extending projection, the lateral surface of which serves as a gauging member for con f tact with the edge of the work, said gauge being provided with an upper portion having a recess to receive said projection and a screw for adjusting the relation of the upper and lower members.

35. A machine of the class described having, in combination, a work support, a rotary tool having an upright ink-applying face, means for delivering ink to flow down over the applying face of the tool, means for retarding the downward flow of ink, a work gauge, and driven feed mechanism con-v structed and arranged to feed sheet material in a horizontal plane with its edge guided by said gauge past the upright surface of the tool to coat the edge of the. work.

36. In a fluid applying machine, a fluid applying member, and agauge for sheet material associated with the member and having end portions relatively adjustable toward and from each other, one of which guides the work and supports a margin thereof and the other or` which is arranged to overlap the superposed opposite marginal portion of the work.

37. In a fluid applying machine, a support,

a work supporting member carriedpthereby,

a gauge carrier adjustably mounted on said support for movement toward and from the work supporting member, and a gauge on said carrier having relatively movable members adapted to engage superposed margins of a piece of work, one of said members having a work guiding projection and said gauge having screw and spring means for relatively adjusting said members.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification.

GEORGE BOULTON. 

